Seoul: The state audit agency announced on Monday that it has referred a former national security adviser and three other officials to the prosecution. The individuals are accused of abusing their powers to deliberately delay the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system in a southeastern county of South Korea.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Chung Eui-yong, who also held the position of foreign minister under the former Moon Jae-in administration, along with other senior government officials, was found to have intentionally postponed the release of outcomes from an environmental evaluation. This evaluation was crucial in assessing the risks associated with electromagnetic waves and noise generated by radars.
South Korea had reached an agreement with the United States in 2016 to install the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in Seongju, which is located 215 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The delay in deployment has raised significant concerns, prompting the audit agency to take
action against the involved officials.